In resort reps?

Just got back from a 5 day break in Washington DC, which was booked through VH a few months ago.

This is the first time that I haved booked a complete package through a travel operator for about 8 years or so, usually book everything seperataly these days over the net, as it usually works out cheaper.

My question is (finally), do VH still have reps or contacts in their resorts? On this trip we did not see, and were not contacted by anybody on our arrival, and we not given any info on activities or trips we could do when we checked in at the hotel either.

Whilst this wasn't really a problem for us, we had a great time in DC, for somebody who may be traveling for the first time it may be helpful for them, and I remember traveling to Florida many years ago when the reps tried to sell you all kinds of things to do during your stay (they were obviously on a %).

Just wondering weather this is now standard practise, or did they just forget about us.

Cant talk for DC in particular but all reps inc VH still sell excursions on a commision!!

Last time I was in FL the reps meeting was in a hotel a mile away -so I didnt bother going.

I think reps are usefull in their place but some in some european places (ibiza etc) they can be a bit of a pain!!

For Florida at least the cheapest tickets are often found online anyway - I guess this would also be true for DC!

I did see one rep in St Lucia last year, but they mainly left it to Sandals to sort you out. We did get a contact number though in case we needed help from Virgin.

I have seen resort Reps in what I would term holiday resorts i.e the Caribbean, Florida (Orlando and Clearwater). When I have been on City breaks (NYC)I was provided with a contact number and lots of information before I went, but no welcome meeting details. Actually thinking about it thatis not quite true, we were given a meeting time for Time Square (Or somewhere), but they did not come to my specific hotel.

[preiffer]

There's a rep in Lake Tahoe for VH - they meet people in one of the Irish bars near the Heavenly Condola.

They still have reps but it depends where you go and stay as to whether you will see one.

Bahamas last year rep visited resort twice a week and was at hotel when we checked in and checked out. We also saw her at the aiport on arrival

Florida (Disney) 4 years ago saw rep a air port. Rep never visisted our hotel and despite searching on we couldn't find. We stayed at the Boardwalk Inn which was not perhaps used by many Virgin customers ( VH no longer do this hotel)

St lucia 6 years ago. No VH rep at any time not even an agent at the airport when we landed.

I know when I visited Clearwater in 2004 the VH rep was moaning that she was having to cover a wide area due to staff shortages, so perhaps they have similar probles elsewhere in the US. They are there but not very apparent.

I stayed in Disney All Stars in November 2004 - tried to find the Virgin rep who was supposed to be on site 2 nights per week. Waited at thestated time - no show. Went to hotel reception, they were not surprised and told me that the rep rarely turns up when supposed to!

Have to say never had a problem, reps always available, although in the case of New York you had to make your way to the Hard Rock Cafe for the meeting.

Last time in California the rep who met us off the plane even helped secure a great upgrade price on the car. Given that our flight landed an hour late and it took 40 minutes to get through immigration this in my eyes was well beyond the call of duty! [y]

My first "rep" experience was on a trip to Cape Town through VH.

IIRC I was first met by a rep at Johannesburg who assisted with the transfer onto the internal BA flight - in fact she also arranged for me to get on an earlier flight as we had landed early - and confirmed this with the rep in CapeTown so they were expecting me earlier!

In CapeTown I was met by a chap who provided the transfer to the portswood hotel where I was staying - with a bit of narrative on the way as he also did tour guides!

A rep also arranged to meet me at the hotel the next day to discuss tours etc (which I took up a couple of them and very good they were too)

Whilst it was a VH package - they had "outsourced" their reps and it was actually Thomson (I think) that managed the reps.

On a VH trip to SFO there was no rep to be seen when exiting arrivals - and there was no answer from the local number provided on the docs - so I had to phone the transfer company directly to find out where I should go! As it turns out there had been a rep there (although I'm sure not when I came through arrivals) and they said thejy hadnt spotted be as I hadnt used the VH luggae tags!

I was offered a welcome meeting the next day thought Id have had to make my way to another hotel for it, so didnt bother. I did try to contact the rep a few times to arrange some tours but the phones were never answred so I booked tours though the hotel instead.

The transfer service was great though in SFO - obviously a small company and very freindly - the return to the airport was in a stretch limo!!

jules.

They seem to have tons of reps in Florida, all eager to sell you about 50 tours and excurssions

Seriously though, when we went to LA last year, when we checked in at the hotel we were given a letter from VH saying our rep would meet us at 8am in the lobby the next morning. We were the only ones there, so ended up just having a chat with the rep as she was a local and was just happy to chat and give us pointers. Admitedly, we did buy one tour of her (one the Holywood stars homes tours), but she really wasn't pushy about anything, and just wanted to help, which was nice!

The same can't be said for the Hawaii leg of our honeymoon. Apparently the Hawaiian government won't allow VH to send their own reps out there, so they use an agency to act as your reps while you are there. They have their own welcome meeting, and where very pushy when it came to excurssions. Fortunately we knew we wanted some anyway as we weren't getting a car out there, but after the experience with the rep in LA, I know which approach I preferred

[RichardMannion]

I've found them to be a bit hit and miss - not that I really need them as I normally do my research beforehand if its a place I have not been before.

For my ski holiday to Mammoth 18 months ago, the rep was great and kenw his stuff - the tickets he could sell (he didn't push at all) were cheaper than anywhere else.

Thanks,
Richard

Agree with Richard - I only use the reps if I cannot source something myslef or have a question I cannot find the answer to - and then its often the easiest thing just to call them and ask - I honestly cannot be doing with the "meet the rep" sessions as they just eat into the holiday time - so do a bit of background research - or ask on here - I think you will find that someone somehwere on here knows the answer or can point you in the right direction.

We will be going to Florida in August, our 5th trip over the last 22 years, and don't really want to take up a whole morning in a welcome meeting as we are mainly intending to tour around and not do very much theme parking. As Frequent Virgins, we should get Hard Rock vouchers for a meal, do we have to go to the welcome meeting to get them, or can we just collect them from the rep at some point?
Thanks
Dave

Good question Dave. We're off to Florida in just over 3 weeks. Its the second time we've gone as a couple, and about the 8th time I've been, so we definately won't be going to the welcome meeting. I didn't know anything about the Hard Rock voucher. Where did you find out about that? Either way, I've been to Florida enough times now that I really don't want to go to the sales meeting (sorry, welcome meeting ). The hotel we're staying at has a VH office on site anyway, so if we do need something we'll just go and see them there.

Hi Alan,
According to the kids, the HRC voucher is a Frequent Virgin perk, but we don't want to spend time in the welcome meeting. We avoided it last time and ended up with messages on our phone from the VH rep. We're mainly going to sight see, drive, beach and shop, and we will get tickets as and if we need them. Don't know whether it's worth losing a morning to get a free meal!
Dave

I just e-mailed FVC about the Hard Rock offer, and got this in reply:

E-mail from FVC
Hello

Thank you for your email.

I am afraid to say that the Hard Rock CafŽ vouchers will need to be picked up at the welcome meeting

I quite understand that as a repeat visitor you do not want or need to attend the meeting.

However the purpose of the offer of the free vouchers is to promote our welcome meeting

Feel free to approach one of our Reps as you arrive in Orlando and see if it is convenient for you to pop in to the meeting to pick up a voucher as they are all distributed out in resort and not here in the UK

Kind regards and have a great trip

So, it looks like they are dished out at the welcome meeting [:(] Bit of a shame, but we'll be doing our best to get them off one of the reps while we are there Like you Dave, we aren't going to waste a morning by sitting in on a welcome meeting to tell us things we already know and sell us tickets we already have, just to get a free meal

Hi Alan,
Why didn't I think of doing that!!!

Thanks anyway, we've got a couple of months to decide whether to bother or not! Don't know whether we want to listen to tips on Disney etc!

Have a great trip to Orlando, it's sure changed over the 22 years we've been going, and I guess it's changed again since our last trip in 99 (at least it'll be a 747-400 not a Classic this time!) Am hopeful of seeing a Shuttle launch this time as we've managed to miss every time we've been so far. There's one due 28/8 at the moment, so hope it's away on time!!!!!

Dave

our advice on reps, buy your tickets before you go, get organized take advice off people on this site and Dibb buy you tickets on-line we do! you even print you own ticket out even more exciting, don't go to the welcome meeting enjoy you holiday, day 1[y] lets go [y], most of the time you have only 2weeks.

our story is:
We arrived about 10 Min's after they started the welcome meeting (we only went as we where going to the Disney shop for my little girls birthday to buy a princess dress) they made us feel like a 5 year old it was on the 1st floor of the virgin shop,
we listened to the rubbish they came out with do this do that[n] and then they said they are going to come over and see each group the order they come in[:0] there where 20 groups in there that would that about 2hours at least, hang on iam on holiday sod this lets go[:0] but they wouldn't let us out until they have seen us they had locked the doors my wife turn green let us out NOW![:(!]"your not getting you vouchers" they said it was amazing

no mouse for us this year but next [y]

regards

Dave